Plants of various sorts are being used increasingly in various situations and environments such as dwellings and work environments to beautify the appearance of the area. However, the proper irrigation of plants and especially indoor potted plants, has long been a problem, particularly in situations wherein the plants must remain unattended for prolonged periods of time.
Horticultural experts agree that a preferred method of water and feeding potted plants is by soil capillary action. The well-known capillary action depends on the phenomenon caused by the adhesion of water molecules to a given surface due to surface tension. In the case of plant watering, soil will draw water by capillary action.
Several advantages are provided by such a method. First, watering by use of a sub-irrigated reservoir, particularly by capillary action allows the plant owner to water the plant less frequently. Second, elimination of overhead watering prevents pesticides and other useful products from being washed off the leaves increasing their effective half-life. Third, by using capillary action soil nutrients remain in the soil. Fourth, due to inverted leaching certain compounds such as salt which are harmful to the plant when concentrated near roots will steadily move out of the primary root zone as fresh water rises out of the reservoir. Fifth, overall, plant watering by capillary action creates a beneficial environment for the plant by increasing the humidity level around the plant's foliage.
Some prior art devices have been specifically designed for plant watering by capillary action. However, many of such prior art system are unduly complicated and thus cannot be produced at a reasonable cost.
Another critical problem with prior sub-irrigation plant watering system is the inability to supply sufficient amounts of oxygen to the soil and plant root structure. Indeed, some of the devices do not allow oxygen around the saturated soil and consequently roots deteriorate.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved plant watering system. Advantages of the present invention include the fact that the proposed system provides an inexpensive and simple plant growing system which provides a proper amount of water and oxygen to the plant so as to eliminate the harmful effect caused by over or under watering.
The proposed system provides for a built-in reservoir allowing controlled dispensing of watering liquids. The reservoir although being capable of containing a relatively large volume of water so as to provide for superior autonomy is strategically positioned so as not to deter the crucial esthetical aspect of the overall watering system. In fact, the internal components of the watering system even though the latter provides for relative long autonomy is strategically positioned so as to be concealed at least partially from the viewer's eyes.
One of the main advantages of the present invention resides in that in at least one embodiment the device is specifically adapted to allow for self-watering of the growing mediun contained therein and contact of the latter with surrounding air. In one specific embodiment, the device is configured so as to allow for contact with surrounding air not only about its base wall but also its peripheral walls so as to increase the overall contact surface with surrounding air.
Another advantage resides in that the proposed device allows an intended user to grow the plant in a first environment such as a greenhouse in an inner container part of the device and then transfer the plant within the inner container into an outer container more suitable for transportation and retail. The growing medium remaining inside the inner container reduces the risks of damage to the plant associated with conventional transplanting methods. The advantages associated with the self-watering and peripheral air contact are maintained whether the second container is inserted or not within the first container.
Also, the proposed device has a built-in means for facilitating insertion and withdrawal of the second container to and from the first container. Still further, the proposed device has a built-in means for facilitating insertion and withdrawal of a removable liquid reservoir to and from the inner container. The proposed device provides a convenient removable reservoir adapted to be filled with a suitable irrigation liquid that can be easily filled through a step or ergonomical steps.
The device has a built-in valve system that allows the removable reservoir to selectively empty into a fixed reservoir from which the growing medium may draw the appropriate amount of irrigation liquid. The level within the fixed liquid reservoir is maintained at a relatively constant level by mere static design characteristics thus eliminating complex moving parts so as to reduce the overall manufacturing cost and increase the reliability of the system.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a plant containerizing and watering device for containing a plant growing medium and facilitating irrigation of the growing medium by a liquid, the device comprising in combination a first container, the first container defining a first base wall and a first peripheral wall extending from the first base wall; a second container, the second container defining a second base wall, the second base wall having at least one base wall venting aperture extending therethrough; the second container being configured and sized so as to be at least partially insertable within the first container with the first base wall and the second base walls maintained in a predetermined base wall spaced relationship relative to each other by a base wall spacing means extending therefrom, the first and second base walls defining a base reservoir volume therebetween; a trough extending outwardly from the second base wall, the trough being provided with at least one trough aperture extending therethrough, the though being configured and sized so that the at least one trough aperture is positioned within the base reservoir at a trough aperture distance from the second base wall when the first and second base walls are in the base wall spaced relationship relative to each other; a removable reservoir for containing a variable volume of the liquid, the removable reservoir being configured and sized so as to be at least partially and removably insertable within the second container; a valve means in fluid communication with the removable reservoir for, when the removable reservoir is in an operational position within the second container, selectively and automatically transfering a transfer volume of the liquid from the removable reservoir to a relatively constant volume of the liquid contained within the base reservoir volume so that the surface of the relatively constant volume of the liquid is maintained at a relatively constant base reservoir liquid level that allows fluid communication with the at least one trough aperture while being spaced from the second base wall, whereby when a fraction of the relatively constant volume of the liquid is soaked up through the at least one trough aperture by a capillary action of the growing medium contained in the second container the valve means transfers a corresponding volume of the liquid from the removable reservoir to the base reservoir volume.
Preferably, the removable reservoir includes a removable reservoir base wall and a removable reservoir peripheral wall together defining a removable reservoir hollow enclosure for containing the variable volume of the liquid; a removable reservoir pouring spout extending integrally from the removable reservoir peripheral wall substantially opposite the removable reservoir base wall, the pouring spout defining a pouring aperture and being in fluid communication with the hollow enclosure for allowing discharge of a portion of the variable volume of the liquid contained in the holow enclosure through the pouring aperture; a removable reservoir venting aperture extending through a section of the removable reservoir; the removable reservoir being configured and sized so that when the latter is in the operational position within the second container the removable reservoir hollow enclosure is in an overlying relationship relative to the pouring aperture and the pouring aperture is submerged in the relatively constant volume of the liquid; the pouring aperture being positionned intermediate the removable reservoir hollow enclosure and the pouring aperture so as to be substantially in register with the base reservoir liquid level when the removable reservoir is in the operational position within the second container, whereby when a fraction of the relatively constant volume of the liquid is soaked up through the at least one trough aperture by a capillary action of the growing medium contained in the second container, the base reservoir liquid level temporarely falls below at least a portion of the removable reservoir venting aperture allowing at least a fraction of a base volume of air contained between the relatively constant volume of the liquid and the second base wall to flow into the hollow enclosure so as to reduce the vacuum created therein by the variable volume of the liquid and allow a portion thereof to flow though the pouring aperture until the removable reservoir venting aperture is submerged in the relatively constant volume of the liquid stopping the flow through the pouring aperture.
Conveniently, the second base wall has a spout receiving aperture extending therethrough, the spout receiving aperture being configured and sized for slidably receiving at least a section of the pouring spout, the spout receiving aperture defining a spout receiving aperture peripheral edge; the pouring spout has an abutment rim extending radially therefrom, the abutment rim being configured and sized so as to abut against the spout receiving aperture peripheral edge when the removable reservoir is in the operational position.
Preferably, the pouring spout has a generally tubular configuration defining a spout proximal end extending from the removable reservoir peripheral wall and an opposed spout distal end. Also the removable reservoir venting aperture preferably includes at least one notch formed on the peripheral edge of the spout distal end.
In at least one embodiment, the removable reservoir is configured and sized so as not to protrude from the second container when in the operational position.
The device preferably further includes a reservoir sleeve extending from the second base wall, the reservoir sleeve being configured and sized for slidably receiving at least a section of the removable reservoir; whereby the reservoir sleeve is adapted to physically separate the removable reservoir from the growing medium when the latter is contained in the second container.
Conveniently, the device further includes a liquid level indicating means for indicating the level of the liquid contained in the removable reservoir. Also, the removable reservoir is conveniently made out of a transluscent material and the liquid level indicating means includes a flotable object positioned within the removable reservoir, the flotable object having a density such that it will float adjacent the surface of the liquid; whereby the transluscent material is adapted to allow an intended user to locate the flotable object within the removable reservoir to approximate the level of the liquid contained within the removable reservoir.
Preferably, the base wall spacing means includes at least one abutment leg extending outwardly from the second base wall, the at least one abutment leg being configured and sized so as to abut against the first base wall when the second container is inserted within the first container.
Conveniently, the base wall spacing means includes a peripheral shoulder extending inwardly from an inner surface of the first peripheral wall, the peripheral shoulder being configured and sized for abuttingly supporting a corresponding peripheral edge of the second base wall when the second container is inserted within the first container.
Preferably, the base wall spacing means includes the trough, the trough being configured and sized so as to abut against the first base wall when the second container is inserted within the first container.
Conveniently, the trough has a generally frustro-conical configuration defining a substantially flat trough base wall and an angled trough peripheral wall, the trough peripheral surface being provided with a plurality of trough apertures extending therethrough.
Conveniently, the second container further includes a second peripheral wall extending from the second base wall. The second peripheral wall is provided with at least one peripheral wall venting aperture extending therethrough and being configured and sized so as to be in a spaced relationship relative to the first peripheral wall when the second container is inserted within the first container.
The device further conveniently includes a peripheral wall spacing means for maintaining the first and second peripheral walls in a predertermined spaced relationship relative to each other when the second container is inserted within the first container.
Preferably, the peripheral wall spacing means includes a peripheral flange extending from an upper peripheral edge of the second peripheral wall. Preferably, the peripheral flange has a generally "L"-shaped cross-sectional configuration defining a flange spacing segment extending generally radially from the second peripheral wall and a flange abutment segment extending generally perpendicularly and downwardly from the flange spacing segment.